Electric switch or socket key.



Paented Got. 22, N18;

F. P. GATES ELECTRIC SWITCH 0H SOCKET KEY.

APPLICATIQN HLED 1AM.22.1911.

UNITED :bTATlS TENI OFFTCE. i

n citii/Len 'ol'` the lfniled States ol America'.

- .sockets or switches' and particularly to keys ot' the type 'havmga molded thumb piece at tached to a metal shank. The object of iny invention is to provide a key having' a shank ol special form struck from sheet. metal and formed tosliape.

the accompanying drawings. l* igurey Yinvention -isembodied in one forni.;

the line 2-2.

'cured bein r in some instances given a particular shape in order *to the beller secure it to thc thumb piece. This involves generally a cutting oi splititiingr of the wire and subsequent bending operation, which add materially to the cost ol' iii1iiiiii".'ictiii'c without affording equivalent' improvement. in construction.

The construction which I have adopted4l while. exti'eu'iely simple and economical to manufacture. alfords a secure anchorage for the thumb piece. which elfeetually prevents :in v tendency to swivel. reinforces the thumb piece andae-ilitates and improves the key 1 construction te' a marked f le "ree,.

As here illustrated the lief.' shank is struck from a piece of sheet metal and, as indicated i'ii Fig. l, comprises a flat shank 1l) having 1 a flat. broad head l1 lying' in the plane .of the shankan'd centrally apertured at' 12. ,An enlargement'J 13 is provided at the opposite end of thel shank; and an intermediate shoulder 14. The enlarged end 13 ol' the shank may" ELECTRIC SWITCH OR SOCKET KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.v

a plan ot' a key iii which my.

EREDERLU i'. UATES. OF -HARTFORII CONNECTICT. ASSLGNOR TO THE ARROXV ELC- AiATLRICdCOlt/IPANY, OF HARTFORD. CONNECTICUT. A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUTA i Patented Oct. 5, 1918.

Applicatieii e'ii January 22, 1917. Serial No'. 143,5'58.

in \vell understood fashion. The shoulder ll loims a positioning' member ivhlch holds l'lie ke \y in proper position ivithin die socket in the inannei' no\v commonly accomplisl d ln' a washer. The insulating thumb piece 1T is molded 'upon' the"enlai' al head 1l and the molded material not only surrounds the head but penel rates the hole '12 therein tlius obtaining' a secure anchorage. The head 11 affords wingswhich support the thumb piece aty all points and the latter is not as subject, to lractiii'e as in the ordinariY llnnnb piece. ll has been found to he a decided advantage in the molding' operation to have the shank 10 flat, since itassures flic location' ot' the head 11 in thc mold ivit'vh accuracy iii the mid plane ol the thumb piece. I do not limit'. my inventioii'to the precise forni of the. mandrel or the precise Snape of the insulatinf: llnnnb piece formed thereon. which may be variously nn'flilied without departingT 'from what l claim as in v invention.

I claim as m'v iuvention- I 1. kev of the t'vpe described comprising a tial' is'heel metal vshank oll f {enei'all'vv rectangular cross section havin;Y alv one end wings l \'in' in the plane of the shank and extending' on opposite sidca of its axis. t0- flether n'iih a llattened inninb piece of insulating material molded on said enlarged head an-,l conlining' the latter in its mid plane.

i. key ol the type described comprisinnr a llar. sheet metal shank of generally rectangular cross section having at. one end wings lying'v in the plane olE the shank and extendingr on opposite sides of its axis. together with a llatlened thumb piece of inanlal'inLY material molded on said enlarged head and conlining the latter in its mid plaina portion of the shank bein;-` shaped into a cylindrical bearing for the. key'.

2. A key ol the type described comprising a lla( sheet metal shank of Wncrally rectangular cross section havin;Y at one end wings lying in the pla? ofthe shank and extending on opposi'i'ef'ides of'its axis, together with a flattened thumb piece. of insulatingr material m-aded on said enlarge' d I head and confining the lalil'er in 'its narl plane. and lateral exit-naines on said .shank for engaging' a switch pierr.

4. A keiv of the type dea-rilievi compziing a flat sheet metal shank el" generally ree tangular cross section inning at. one end l'Itl wings lying in the plaine of the shank and extending en opposite sides' of its axis,rto get-herwith n flattened thumb piece of insuloting material molded on said enlarged head and confining the latter in vits mid plane, :t portion of thevshank being shaped into a eylindrical'beaiing. for the key', and lateral extensions adjacent'said bearing to afford means for engaging n switch piece.

5. A key of the type described comprising a 'atsheet metal shank of generally rectangular cross section having at one end wings lying in the plane of the shank and extending on opposite 'sides of its axis, together with a 'iizttened thumb piece of insulating materiel molded on said enlarged head and confining the latter in its mid plane, a portion of the shank bcin T shaped into :i cylindrical bearing for the rey, and lateral extensions adjacent said beaing tro afford means for engaging u switch piece, togetherv with apositioning shoulder 'on the shank lying between said bearing and the thumb piece.

-In testimony whereof I have signed m name to this specification, in the presence of twov subscribing witnesses.

` FREDERIC P. GATES.

Witnesses L. SHINE, FRANKLA ALLEY. 

